


Shades of Gray

by aconitum (sugarandspace)



Category: The Maze Runner (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Depressed Newt (Maze Runner), Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, Supportive Thomas (Maze Runner)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28962822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarandspace/pseuds/aconitum
Summary: There are good days and bad days, and countless days that fit somewhere in the middle.
Relationships: Newt/Thomas (Maze Runner)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	Shades of Gray

**Author's Note:**

> Uhhhh... I've been reading Newtmas fics quite a lot recently, and then I got this small little idea that I felt would fit them. I hope you enjoy! 💙

It’s late by the time Thomas comes home from work. The apartment is dark and quiet as he leaves his shoes and backpack by the door before walking further into the apartment. Newt isn’t in the living room, nor is he in the kitchen.

There’s an empty plate and a glass on the counter by the sink, and it’s both a bad sign and a good sign.

Bad because Thomas knows how much Newt normally hates leaving dirty dishes on the counter, good because it means he ate the sandwich Thomas left in the fridge for him.

Thomas walks to the short corridor where the door to the bedroom is closed, no light coming from under the door. Instead of going in, he turns towards the door on his right that leads to their small bathroom. He showers and brushes his teeth before finally heading to the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

It’s dark in the room, but the blinds are still open from when Thomas opened them before heading to work earlier that day. He uses the faint light from the streetlamps far below on the street to get dressed in underwear and a loose t-shirt. He looks at the lump under the covers that hasn’t moved since he came into the room, just a mess of blond hair peeking from under the duvet.

Somehow he still knows that Newt is awake.

He walks to his own side of the bed and kneels on the mattress, keeping his voice soft as he asks, “Is there room for me in there?”

Newt’s head peeks from under the duvet and he lifts his arm, letting Thomas slip underneath. It’s warm in there, and Thomas instantly moves closer to his boyfriend. Newt leans against him and Thomas leaves a kiss on his forehead.

“I ate the sandwich,” Newt says quietly.

“I saw,” Thomas says. “I’m proud of you.” 

Newt doesn’t reply and hides his face against Thomas’ t-shirt. Thomas knows how much Newt struggles with accepting praise for things like that, things he feels aren’t worth getting praise over. As long as they’ve known each other, Newt’s been more focused on the negative when it comes to himself. He doesn’t see it like Thomas does, how great it is that even when he was feeling low, he found the energy to get up and eat. Newt sees how the dirty dishes were left on the counter. How that’s pretty much all he did today.

Thomas knows it’s not his fault, that sometimes it’s all he’s able to do. And Thomas is proud of him every time he does something to look after himself, even if it’s something as simple as eating.

It’s not a good day, because it’s only a little after seven and Newt’s already in bed, and Thomas can guess that he hasn’t really moved from there. But it’s not fully a bad day either, because Newt isn’t pushing him away, isn’t withdrawing so deeply into himself that Thomas is left outside, unable to help and remind him of the good things.

That’s all Thomas wants. To be there for his boyfriend in good times and in bad. Everyone has bad days, Newt's bad days just happen to be really bad, and they sometimes stretch to bad weeks. Thomas wishes it didn't need to be like that, but only because he knows how rough it is for Newt. Never because it's too much for him. He loves Newt, and he knows that Newt loves him, and those two things will always be true be it a bad day or a good one. Or like today, a day that fits somewhere in the middle.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have a moment, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
> 
> You can find me from [tumblr](https://sugarandspace.tumblr.com) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/sugarandspace_)!


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